What does reading do to you?
Even though we all are fond of reading every day or maybe every hour, somehow or in some way — our text messages, news articles, blogs, newspapers or even our institutional and educational books is ‘reading’ in a way. But what that ‘reading’ is distant from the actual reading and learning process?
The first basic thing one needs to understand is the difference between comprehending, skimming, scanning and in-depth reading.
1. Comprehending —
When we study on a particular subject, topic or abstract and grasp it with whole mind presence, thereby a message thus conveyed by the abstract would either educate you with some belief or an idea — it will provide you with adequate information you appeal which is up to your level of understanding, is summed up as comprehending.
A psychological process related to understanding an abstract or physical object, such as a person, situation, or message whereby one is able to think about it and use concepts to deal adequately with that object.
Reading of editorials, comprehension passages, essays, and other factual paragraphs can be considered as comprehending.
2. Skimming —
Sometimes, we do not have enough time to study the whole newspaper, every article, topic, and term. So we prefer to just go through it with reading all headlines and head topics, not thoroughly but in brief. This device is thus stated as skimming.
The act of reading something quickly so as to note only the important points.
A perfect example of skimming is the quick or instant-read of news headlines, answers just before an exam or viewing text messages from the lock screen at the instance.
3. Scanning —
Suddenly you remind yourself that a word you had read is applicable in a particular situation but you can’t really remember where you read it, so you go through that article or story you read last. Just a reminder, you cannot remember the exact line, paragraph or page number so the only option is to carefully look for that word in all the pages you think it might be in. This examining a whole intrinsic group of words for a motive to look for some desired paraphrase is known as scanning.
To look at all parts of (something) carefully in order to detect some feature, section or segment is called scanning.
Looking for a word in the dictionary can also be an illustration of scanning.
4. In-depth reading —
The most definite and primary form of reading is in-depth reading. The name itself suggests that reading thoroughly with a gesture of complete recognition which is tedious at the same time — a stagnant and gradual form of reading. Taking out the maximum amount of knowledge one can which can be from a part of speech or theory as well, is considered an in-depth form of reading. It does mean that you should take enough time and focus to make sure that you truly understand what the text is saying. A consistent reader’s favorite form of reading is in-depth, it might take some time to be habitual in it since it is just not a part of one’s ethnicity at all. Therefore, understanding the message a passage is conveying at its most is in-depth reading.
Unlike extensive reading (scanning), Intensive reading (in-depth reading) involves learners reading in detail with specific learning aims and tasks.
Reading novels, books related to fiction and science (that needs an adequate amount of understanding and focus), etc. is considered as in-depth reading.
So why reading is important and every other person you name with sufficient qualification is or was a consistent reader?
You can train the muscles in your body with steady exercise to make your body fit and stable. You can run, walk and eat diets that will help you sustain your digestion properly. But what can you do to exercise your brain? How can you help your mind in staying fit and calm?
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.”
So one way you can protect, preserve, control and maintain your mental health is by becoming habitual of reading. It will definitely take time, you never start a job as a CEO but rise from the bottom — first a worker, then a manager and thus with active progress one day you end up as being the CEO with dedication and yes, toleration. Reading is not one thing that cannot happen in one day, plenty of other things are too in the segment. So it won’t happen in one day. If you are going to do it from scratch, then patience is the key. If you are an intermediate then consistency is the key. And if you are already an expert in intensive reading, then the only thing you need is not to lose the streak by being ignorant because you consider yourself to be an expert. A newbie with regular and enough groundwork will be better in performance as compared to an expert with no revision.
How can you start the reading work and make a habit out of it?
Below stated are the three steps of a successful reader from scratch, you can follow or improvise as per your own amenity. (Steps to success)
Step 1 — Find a mode of interest.
(From plenty, here are 10 topmost genres you can choose from)
- Fiction
- Non-fiction
- Poetry
- Biography
- Science fiction
- Mystery/Drama
- Humor
- Fantasy
- Romance
- Poetry
Step 2 — After you found your interest, the next step is to start from an easy novel/story/blog/article which is accessible and you can understand it clearly. This is because there is no point in starting straight from Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace as your interest in science fiction and throbbing on not understanding even a phrase but by starting with Harry Potter or other such novels under science fiction (or category of your interest) which will not be challenging but interesting at your starting level. The thing you have to do is create curiosity and maintain it. By starting at tougher levels you would end up losing interest in reading which we clearly do not want.
Step 3 —The final and most crucial step or function is maintaining your consistency with reading and increasing levels at times when you start to feel you can. As I said, it won’t happen in one day so you have to generate faith in yourself.
Basically, there is no limit in reading and no pattern in terms of quantity and time. Reading is a dynamic process and like all addictions it is one, it is up to you if you want to be addicted to things plum or diddly. It is totally not you will plan on reading for a particular time say one year or six months or only a month. If you will make it your hobby, you have to maintain it by being loyal to yourself and not losing any faith. You start at teenage with completely no expectations of stopping the same till demise.